Explore butterflyfish for sale at Live Fish Store and bring the grace of the reef flat into your home aquarium. Butterflyfish are among the most elegant saltwater fish, with disc-shaped bodies, striking bands and snouts built for picking food from the rockwork. We ship healthy butterflyfish overnight across the USA.
Why buy butterflyfish from Live Fish Store
- Healthy, feeding fish: we select active butterflyfish and pack each one carefully for its overnight trip.
- Overnight shipping: live fish ship via FedEx Priority Overnight or UPS Next Day Air.
- Live arrival guarantee: report any DOA within 2 hours of delivery for store credit or a replacement.
- Free shipping on $80+: qualifying aquatic-life orders of $80 or more ship free.
Choosing the right butterflyfish for your tank
Most butterflyfish are active swimmers that need tanks of roughly 75 gallons and up, with larger species typically requiring 125 gallons or more. They are peaceful toward other fish but do best with calm tankmates and stable, well-established water: 72-78°F, specific gravity around 1.023-1.025 and very low nitrate. Provide open swimming room plus rockwork to explore.
Butterflyfish are best suited to fish-only or FOWLR aquariums because most species feed on coral polyps in the wild and will pick at corals in a reef tank. Hardier choices such as the bannerfish (Heniochus), raccoon and threadfin butterflyfish adapt readily to mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, chopped clam and quality pellets, while specialized feeders like the copperband can be finicky. Feed small meals several times a day and avoid butterflyfish as a first saltwater fish.
Shipping and live arrival guarantee
Live fish ship overnight via FedEx Priority Overnight or UPS Next Day Air to minimize time in transit. Every order is covered by our live arrival guarantee: report a DOA within 2 hours of delivery for store credit or a replacement. Qualifying aquatic-life orders of $80 or more ship free within the USA.
Frequently asked questions
Are butterflyfish reef safe?
Generally no. Most species nip at coral polyps, so they are best kept in fish-only or FOWLR systems.
What tank size do butterflyfish need?
Plan on 75 gallons or more for most species and 125 gallons or more for the larger ones.
Are butterflyfish hard to keep?
Some are. Choose hardy species like bannerfish or raccoon butterflyfish, offer varied meaty foods, and keep water quality pristine.
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